The upcoming deployment to Afghanistan marks the second for the "Assassins" in three years. Engineers will be performing route clearance missions for a year.

"We have a lot of (noncommissioned officers) and senior NCOs," said Sgt. 1st Class Oscar Rodriguez, 569th first sergeant. "We also have a lot of new guys. It's a good mix in the company."

In his ceremonial speech, Lt. Col. Bryan Green, commander, 4th Eng. Bn., said the company had a 50-percent turnover in personnel in the last six months.

Green commended members of the 569th for their continued dedication to the mission and their support of deployed units.

"In some ways, (569th) had the tougher task," Green said. "They had to watch their fellow Soldiers deploy while they supported and trained and coached and mentored their brothers and sisters as they left. And here we are six months later, and it is now their turn."

Green added that the "Assassins" trained harder in a shorter amount of time than ever before in its history. In the past six months, the company of 95 Soldiers participated in field exercises at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., with units from 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. Soldiers also participated in live fire, live medevacs and live ammunition exercises in preparation for the deployment.

"They fired over 40,000 rounds in the last six months and despite all of my joking, you guys did actually hit the targets," he said. "You are ready to deploy."

Green continued with a promise to Soldiers.

"(569th), we have your back while you're gone," he said.

Family members and Soldiers applauded as many braced for goodbyes in the next couple of weeks.